


Collars and Crossbows - The Run

by Starfire_Wildheart



Series: Collars & Crossbows [3]
Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Biting, Dubious Consent, Fight or Fuck, M/M, Possessive Rick, Rickyl Writers' Group, Rickyl Writers' Group Bingo 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 19:19:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6870163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starfire_Wildheart/pseuds/Starfire_Wildheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A run goes bad and Daryl, Rick, Michonne, Glenn and Maggie fight for their lives. Please note the DUB-CON but it's not as bad as it sounds... hope you enjoy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Collars and Crossbows - The Run

**Author's Note:**

> This is my Bingo !!

“You ready?” Daryl asked as he leaned in to give Judith a kiss before Rick handed her off to Beth. The baby squealed in delight and grabbed a handful of his hair tugging sharply when he tried to back away. “Hey, easy there ‘lil asskicker,’ he smiled kissing her tiny hand when he freed it from his head.

 

Rick couldn’t help the warm fuzzy feeling he got every time he saw his kids and Daryl together. Judith brought out a side of Daryl that only Rick had ever been able to see and with Judith around, he didn’t care who saw it. With Carl, Daryl was his confidant, the person he would go to when he didn’t feel comfortable talking to Rick about something and in Carl’s eyes Daryl was the coolest person in the world. After his troubled marriage with Lori, which began long before the world ended, he never thought he’d fall in love again. He’d decided a long time ago his life was destined to be alone and had grown to be alright with the idea but then this redneck for Northern Georgia had to go throw a bunch of squirrels at his head and things changed forever. Oh, he tried to ignore it. Tried to tell himself he was just lonely and Daryl was really hot, that it was lust and not love he was feeling. The more he got to know the hunter though the more he realized he didn’t want to be away from him. Every time Daryl went on a run or there was a scrape with walkers his heart would clinch and he realized that for possibly the first time in his life he was in love with someone. Oh, don’t get him wrong he had loved Lori but hadn’t been in love with her. Carl came along and they got married because in the south it was the right thing to do but this was all new to him. Daryl and Beth's chuckling drew him from his thoughts. “What’s funny?”

 

Daryl just shook his head and smiled, “you gonna stare at me all day or are we gonna do this run old man?”

 

“What if I decide I want to do both?” he asks playfully as he pulls Daryl in for a kiss. He’s not surprised or offended when Daryl shoves him away blushing. His hunter was just starting to get used to the idea of other people seeing them close.

 

“Get off me you perv,” Daryl laughed and playfully punched Rick’s arm. He loved Rick, loved being with him and had eventually allowed himself to love being touched by the man. He wasn’t ashamed that he and Rick were together or that anyone else knew for that matter but he’d just never been used to people being kind to him or being loved for that matter and he didn’t understand why Rick would choose him of all people to fall in love with. He didn’t doubt his boyfriend or his intentions he just wasn’t used to it.

 

Rick was still playfully attempting to kiss Daryl and hold his hand when they reached the van. Michonne laughed at Daryl’s red face and Rick’s smirk. “Am I gonna have to hose you two down for this trip?”

 

“Just him,” Daryl huffed as he climbed into the middle seat of the passenger vehicle.

 

Rick couldn’t resist pinching Daryl’s ass as he bent over to climb into the van making Daryl squeak and bump his head on the ceiling. When the arch turned and gave him an indignant glare Rick acted completely innocent and pointed at Michonne. “She did it!”

 

“Michonne popped Rick in the back of the head playfully, “would you get in the van.”

 

The hour long drive went much the same way with the five friends joking and enjoying each other’s company. They had already worked out their plan for when they arrived at the pharmacy and each of them knew their part and had gone over it and over it in their mind. They had realized over time that with the five of them being like-minded, efficient and very serious about what happened on a run and everyone’s safety that each one of them would study the plan beforehand and being able to laugh and enjoy the ride, as much as was possible in a zombie apocalypse, helped them all relax a bit. Any other team Rick and Daryl both would be going over what each member of the group would be doing until they were confident they had it down without hesitation.

 

Maggie glanced back and saw Daryl leaning against Rick, the sheriff’s arm around his shoulders and was so happy that the two of them had finally gotten together. She was pretty sure everyone knew they had feelings for each other long before the two of them knew themselves. She and Daryl had become like siblings lately and she was thrilled that he was starting to get comfortable enough to let Rick touch him around others. Seeing the man learn how to be loved warmed all their hearts because they knew his past had been hell. She caught his eye and winked at him and he blushed a little pressing closer to Rick who placed a kiss on top of his head.

 

There were no signs of life as they pulled up to the small little town which Michonne, Sasha, and Tyrese had scoped out a few days before. It was a small backwoods town with only a few shops scattering the main street and one of those shops was a pharmacy. Parking nearby they all silently climbed out of the van, weapons ready in case they encountered walkers. Quickly and quietly they cleared the store and began loading everything Hershel had put on the list.

 

“We should check the other shops and see if they have anything we could use while we are here,” Glenn said.

 

Rick nodded, “we need to finish here first.”

 

“Maggie and I can start clearing one of the other shops then you can follow when you’re done,” Glenn offered.

 

“No, I don’t want us separating. Too much of a chance someone could get hurt,” Rick answered as he stuffed more gauze and tape into a bag Daryl was holding open.

 

“We will be careful,” Glenn brushed him off. He was a little over confident because what they did had become a way of life now and he didn’t have that same fear he had in the beginning. He trusted Rick and believed in his leadership but he thought the older man needed to relax a little too. He took Maggie’s hand and led her out the door and a little ways down the street.

 

“Glenn,” she scolded but smiled when they stopped and he pulled her into a kiss. They were having a harder time finding alone time and space now that the prison was filling up and hadn’t had a chance to be together for a while.

 

Michonne had her last bag filled and walked over to where Rick and Daryl were zipping up their last pack, each tossing one over their shoulders. “We better go find the love birds,” Daryl sighed. He understood wanting to be alone but out here was not the place.

 

“I thought I was with the love birds,” Michonne teased.

 

Daryl glared at her and threw a bag of cotton balls at her head before heading toward the door. She and Rick followed both had huge grins on their faces. Ever vigilant Daryl had his crossbow up as he stepped out the door and instantly fired a bolt to his right when he saw a man holding a gun to Maggie’s head. The arrow hit him in the forearm knocking the pistol to the ground and caused a flurry of commotion.

 

Maggie tried to run but another man jumped out of one of the shops and grabbed a handful of her hair yanking her to the ground. Rick heard the sound of several guns cocking behind them and Glenn was pushed out of the door to the shop Maggie was in front of. His nose was bloody, both eyes already swelling and there was a man holding a gun to his head.

 

“Put your weapons on the ground or I put a bullet in both your friends’ heads,” the burly, gray-haired man said.

 

Rick’s jaw clenched but he nodded and laid the python on the ground and his knife next to it. Daryl followed suit putting his crossbow, two knives, and pistol down and Michonne her Kanata. “We don’t have much, just some gauze and first aid supplies but take them, just let our people go,” Rick said.

 

“I don’t think you are in any position to be making demands friend,” the burly man laughed. “Boys tie ‘em up and get ‘em inside.” Rick, Daryl, and Michonne were roughly grabbed, their arms yanked behind them and cuffed with zip ties before being shoved inside a liquor store.

 

“Search ‘em boys,” the leader told his men. Two men ran their hands over Michonne, her tight clothes leaving no place to really hide anything. Three men approached Rick slamming him back against a wall running their hands all over him lingering a little too long and being a little too through in certain areas. Three more approached Daryl doing the same to him earning themselves a through cussing out in the process.

 

The five of them were forced to their knees on the floor and the burly man stepped up in front of them. “My name is Terrance and this here is my gang,” the eight other men cheered drunkenly. “Me and my boys have made our way here all the way from New York. We thought all these rotters were from some sort of chemical from the cities but the farther south we got we realized even you dumb redneck fuckers got it too. Can’t tell you how disappointed we was when we got here and found out most of you were dead too. Been long days tryin to keep these bastards occupied and happy so when we found this liquor store, well hell we thought our day couldn’t get any better but then you fell in our laps!”

 

Daryl tensed and growled as Terrance walked up to Maggie and ran a hand over her jaw. “Leave her alone you sick bastard!”

 

“Don’t touch her!” Glenn yelled at the same time.

 

“Aww don’t get jealous boys you won’t be left out I promise.” This sent a roar of laughter and cat calls through the other drunken men. “Hell I’d bet my life your little hole is tighter than hers anyway,” he said grabbing a hand full of Daryl’s hair and Yanking his head back. He stepped closer until his denim covered crotch was pressed against Daryl’s chin. “I’m gonna enjoy sinking into that tight ass while somebody else makes you choke on their dick.”

 

Every muscle in Rick’s body was standing out and tense as he strained against the zip tie to get his hands free. He knew if he reacted to what was happening they would know he and Daryl were close and it would make things worse so he forced down the words that were choking him. He let out the breath he was holding when Terrance stepped away with a laugh. Daryl’s head fell forward and Rick could see the shiver that ran through him. Daryl had come so far and these bastards were threating all of it. Damn them and damn Glenn for not listening to him to begin with!

 

“Lucas,” Terrance called and the tall, well-muscled man stepped forward. “You found us our last entertainment and it made for one hell of a night so you get first pick. Which one is it gonna be?”

 

Lucas looked over the group and wobbled, waving his arms to catch his balance. Reaching down, unzipping his pants and pulling himself out he nodded toward Maggie. Terrance and another man forced Glenn to the ground and held him down while Lucas walked up to Maggie and shoved his dick in her face. “Suck it bitch,” he growled. She refused to open her mouth and turned her head away but when Lucas slapped her across the face Daryl snapped and lunged forward head-butting the man in the crotch. All hell broke loose and several of the men began kicking and punching him while others held the rest of the hostages to stop them from trying to help him.

 

“Enough!” Terrance yelled and with a few parting kicks they all backed off revealing a bloody and battered Daryl face down on the ground. Rick could see his breathing was labored and figured he had some broken ribs at least. “Get him up and bend him over the counter,” he ordered. Two of the men dragged the bloody man over to the counter and slammed him down on it so that he was bent at the waist. One of them reached around and unfastened his pants pushing them down to his ankles then shoved his shirt up his back as high as he could.

 

Daryl was struggling to get free. The hands on him and being exposed in front of so many people set off every trigger he ever had and he was panicked. They had him so he was facing everyone, so they could see him as he was assaulted and humiliated. He could see Rick but knew his partner couldn’t get to him so he could make it better so he didn’t let his gaze linger because he didn’t want to cause him to get hurt. He heard several guns cock and saw that each of his friends had a gun to their head.

 

“You fight, you bite, head-butt, kick or piss me off in any way I will give the order to shoot without hesitation. Do you understand,” Terrance asked?

 

“Yeah,” he gritted out. At least it was him and not Maggie or Rick or anyone else suffering this. He was used to abuse, to being hit and humiliated though he’d never been, he couldn’t even bring himself to think the word that was about to happen. He’d only been comfortable enough to be with Rick, fucking anyway, a couple times and now this was happening. Rick would be disgusted now every time he looked at him. All he would see was Daryl impaled on some strangers’ dick. That thought made his heart shatter and tears filled his eyes as he lowered his head hoping his hair would hide his face.

 

Two of the men approached him one behind and one in front of him each stroking their flaccid cocks trying to get them hard. Several moments pass and Daryl is so tense he’s sure his muscles are going to snap but nothing happens. Rick chanced a glance around the room and saw all the empty liquor bottles scattered around the floor and realized what might be happening, they were too drunk to perform. He couldn’t look at his lover because all he could see was red. Disgust at what they were doing to him and anger toward the people doing it. He was plotting the way he was going to kill each of them in his mind.

 

Terrance shook his head, stupid fuckers all drank so much they couldn’t get it up. He looked over to Daryl when he heard him squeak and jerk forward and saw Lucas had stuck a finger up his ass but still couldn’t get it up. “You bunch of useless bastards!” he roared. He was trying to decide what to do when he saw the look of disgust on Rick’s face when he looked at the man bent over the counter. “You,” he points the gun at Rick. “On your feet. You are gonna fuck your friend good and proper! You’re gonna put on a show for us and it better be a damn good one! I’m going to free your hands but if you do anything and I mean anything stupid I will blow this one's brains out,” he pointed at Michonne. Terrance was extremely proud of himself because he thinks he’s torturing Rick and Daryl both as he uses his knife to cut the zip ties from Rick’s wrists.

 

Rick stands reluctantly, not wanting to let on that he’s extremely relieved inside. He hates the fact that this has to be done but at least it’s him doing it and not one of these bastards. Now, if only Daryl can forgive him for it. He was shoved over to where Daryl was and nearly growled when he saw Lucas roughly pull his finger out of his lover and slap his ass. Soon enough he was standing behind the hunter alone. He didn’t move at first not wanting to seem too eager so just placed his hand on his back to offer some sort of comfort.

 

Terrance backhanded Glenn splitting his lip, “Get on with it!”

 

Taking a deep breath Rick slips his arms around Daryl pulling him up so that his back is pressed against Rick’s chest. Raising his right hand he pressed three fingers to Daryl’s lips. “Open,” he commanded and slipped them past Daryl’s lips when he complied. “I’ve got you, it’s just you and me sweetheart,” he whispered in his ear. “I love you.”

 

Daryl tried to block everyone else out but no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t. The lude comments and jeers were bad enough but to know that his friends were going to see him like this, see something so private and personal that’s he’d only ever shared with one person in his life, Rick, made him sick to his stomach. Daryl had always seen sex as something dirty and shameful because of the state of his body and while yeah, he’d shared hurried blowjobs with girls here and there he never allowed anyone to see him. He felt completely venerable because he felt all of his shame was exposed to the world. All of them could see what a failure and disappointment he’d been all his life, how stupid he was. Each mark on his flesh proving how many times he had to be taught a lesson, each one signifying his inadequacy in some part of his life.

 

“Get on with it before I come do it myself!” Terrance yelled causing both men to jump.

 

“I’m sorry Daryl you know I wouldn’t hurt you for the world,” he whispered, his heart breaking at what was about to happen and knowing he was part of what was causing Daryl so much hurt. He slipped his fingers free from Daryl’s lips and gently pressed him back down over the counter. He stroked his back with his left hand while he slipped the fingers of his right hand down the cleft of Daryl’s ass. He circled and prodded at his opening slipping a finger inside him. Daryl was so tight he barely got it past the clenched ring of muscle and he knew if he couldn’t get his lover to relax it was going to be even worse.

 

Daryl gasped when he felt Rick’s finger slide into him and it burned. It hadn’t felt this way when they were together the first time and he knew it was because he was so tense. Rick had been so careful with him, so patient making sure he was ready for each step and taking his time to be sure he felt the best he could possibly feel. He knew they would not have that here and now and he tried to will his body to relax by remembering that night just two weeks ago.

 

Rick didn’t know what happened but he nearly shouted to the heavens when he felt Daryl’s body relax a bit. He slipped a second finger in and started working that bundle of nerves hoping it would help him block out some of this and help get this over sooner, plus he needed all the precum he could get to use as lube because he did not want to tear Daryl. He felt Daryl buck back against his fingers and nearly smiled because it gave him a small amount of hope that they might make it through this.

 

“Look at the whore! Look how bad he wants it,” one of the men jeered.

 

“Put him on his knees over here on the floor,” Terrance instructed. He watched as they both shuffled to do as they were told. The old man got a kick out of seeing Daryl’s cock hard and arcing up toward his belly. Once Daryl was on his knees he told the two men what he wanted. “Make him choke on your dick,” he told Rick. When he hesitated Lucas backhanded Maggie.

 

Rick and Daryl both cringed at the sound and knew they would do whatever they had to, to protect their family no matter the cost to them. Rick unbuttoned his pants and pulled the zipper down reaching a hand inside and freeing his half hard cock. Before he could move Daryl pivoted forward and lowered his mouth down his hot flesh and he couldn’t hold back his moan.

 

Daryl knew that Rick would hesitate when it came to choking him because it was one of Daryl’s fears. His old man used to strangle him and try to make him pass out when he was a kid and Daryl had been afraid of it ever since. They had the conversation the first time they went down on each other and Rick had dutifully held his hips perfectly still letting Daryl set the depth and pace. He knew, this time would be no different because Rick would protect him no matter what the cost and he needed Rick to know he would do the same for him. He took a deep breath and pushed his head forward until the head of Rick’s now fully hard shaft hit the back of his throat and caused him to gag. Moving back then down again he forced the throbbing flesh as deep as he could take it and stayed there cutting off his own air.

 

Tears fell from his eyes as Rick realized that Daryl was making the choice for him and in the only way he could letting him know that Daryl knew Rick didn’t want to do this. He counted to ten and pulled back letting Daryl suck in some much-needed air and he stroked his head as he coughed and sputtered, spit stringing from Ricks cock to Daryl’s lips. He leaned in one more time and let Daryl work him until he was settled in his throat again. Daryl’s hard gag seemed to do the trick because they all started cheering and making comments about wanting his lips wrapped around them.

 

“He looks so pretty on his knees, mouth stretched around a big dick,” one of the men moaned.

 

“Fuck him!” Terrance shouted.

 

Daryl rested his head on Rick’s hip for both balance and support. He could do this, it was Rick and him, that’s all that mattered. He felt Rick run his hand through his hair before stepping back and moving behind him. He focused as hard as he could on being back at the prison in their special place alone, just the two of them touching and kissing. He hadn’t noticed when Rick knelt behind him until he felt the blunt head pressed against his entrance. He stilled himself as he was breached by the throbbing shaft doing everything he had to hold back the moan as pleasure rolled through him. He felt dirty and fucked in the head for feeling pleasure but it was Rick and he loved him, loved being filled by him.

 

Rick pressed forward slowly but steady until he was fully seated his arms around Daryl’s waist and chest holding him close. Daryl’s head was bowed so his hair would hide his face and Rick bit his neck leaving a mark, his mark. When he didn’t make a sound Rick was afraid that Daryl was trapped in some sort of catatonic state or something and he nearly shouted when Daryl’s muscles clenched around him. He adjusted their position so he would have room to move and set a fast pace that soon had Daryl shivering in his arms.

 

Michonne used the distraction to work a small knife out of her boot and cut her bonds before carefully passing it behind her back to Maggie who did the same and passed it to Glenn. Just as Glenn got his bonds cut Daryl cried out as he released shooting cum all over his chest sending Rick over the edge with a shout. It was enough of a distraction that the three of them were able to grab the guns being held on them and turn the tide in the war. A few of the men tried to shoot and got put down for their trouble.

 

Rick’s brain finally caught up with what was happening and he threw himself to the side taking Daryl with him to get out of the line of fire. The movement caused him to yank himself out of Daryl’s sensitive hole making him cry out in pain. “Fuck, I’m sorry sweetheart,” he hissed as he yanked Daryl’s pants up and over his hips the best he could and then tucked himself away. He rolled to his feet grabbing a gun from the floor before he realized that the four men remaining were on their knees with their hands in the air.

 

“Rick,” Glenn said, handing the sheriff the knife so he could cut Daryl loose.

 

Rick took the knife and knelt down next to his lover and sliced through the plastic holding him prisoner. “Easy Daryl, easy,” Rick scolded as the man instantly rolled to his feet nearly falling over.

 

“M’fine,” he said, his voice rough and hoarse from the brutal use of his throat. He pushed away from Rick and walked to the other side of the store.

 

Rick couldn’t catch his breath. He’d hurt Daryl and now he hated him. Anger and rage rolled through him and he spun on their captors focusing on Lucas first. He was the one who had his fingers in Daryl. “You get off on this?” he asked him. “Oh wait you couldn’t could you because your fucking pathetic! How many other people have you done this too,” he demanded?

 

Lucas was stupid enough to laugh, “hundred at least.”

 

Rick stepped forward and Michonne and Maggie moved with him, guns held high just in case. Rick grabbed the man’s wrist. “You remember where you had this hand, Lucas?” He didn’t give him a chance to answer he just started breaking his fingers. Each bone snapping and it’s responding scream echoed through the silent store. Once he’d broken all the fingers on Lucas’s right hand he moved on to the guy who’d tried to shove his dick in Maggie’s face.

 

“This one is mine,” Maggie growled stepping in front of Rick. He backed off taking up the cover position. “You think forcing yourself on people is ok? You ever had a man try to force his dick in your mouth,” she demanded? “Open your damn mouth!” she growled and forced the barrel of her pistol in his mouth not caring that she was chipping teeth and cutting his mouth with the sight on the gun. She forced it as far back as it would go making him gag and gasp for air the way they had made Daryl too. Once she could see his lips turning blue she yanked the gun free. When she stepped back Michonne swung her Katana and took his head off.

 

Rick turned when Daryl touched his arm and handed him the python and his machete. He took both the weapons slipping them into their respective holsters. He kept his eyes averted because he didn’t think he could stand the look of hate on his face.

 

Daryl frowned when Rick didn’t look at him. He expected him to ask if he was ok or at least put an arm around him. He shook it off and leveled his crossbow at Terrance. “You are the sickest fucker of them all aren’t you? My old man was a lot like you,” he laughed humorlessly. “He would find people even stupider than he was to do what he didn’t have the balls to do himself. See these assholes are doing the raping and killing while you tell em what to do but it didn’t work today did it? You thought making Rick do your damn dirty work would destroy us both but you’re wrong because we are stronger than that.”

 

“Is that why he can’t even look at you?” Terrance smirked.

 

Daryl faltered a moment, doubt flooding his mind. Rick loved him until today and maybe he didn’t anymore because of this but he wasn’t going to let this bastard know he was worried about it. “It’s why your people are dead and I’m not ain’t it? We both know you’re not gonna live through this but I am gonna make your death as painful as possible.” He pulled the trigger of the crossbow and shot Terrance in the crotch. He screamed in pain and writhed on the floor as blood pooled on the front of his jeans and ran down the legs. Daryl bent down and shoved his red shop rag in the bastard’s mouth to silence him then yanked his arrow free before wiping it on Terrance’s shirt and putting it back in his bow.

 

Rick grabbed his machete and slammed it into Luca’s head and enjoyed watching the life leave his eyes. “We need to get out of here,” he told the others and they headed out the door. He held Daryl’s arm holding him back. “Do you still?” he asked, his voice trembling with emotion.

 

“Do I still what?” Daryl asked, voice equally as wrecked from his throat.

 

“Love me?”

 

Daryl cupped Rick’s jaw with his trembling hand, “of course, I do. Do you not think I know what you did for me today? If that had been anyone but you I don’t know if I would have been able too..” he trailed off as tears finally slipped from his eyes.

 

Rick pulled him into a crushing hug kissing his head and rubbing his back. “I was so afraid you would never be able to forgive me,” he sobbed against his shoulder.

 

“Hey, stop it. There is nothing to forgive you for man. You were forced just like I was but you and you alone are the reason I will survive this.” He rubbed Rick’s back soothingly and wished he could kill the assholes all over again that put them through this.

 

“Let’s go home?” Rick asked, hiccupping back another sob.

 

Daryl kissed him softly running his hand through his tangled hair before resting their foreheads together. “Home sounds perfect as long as your there.”

 

Rick took Daryl’s hand and kissed it before leading him out the door toward their van. Everyone was piled inside except Glenn who was waiting for them a few feet away. “Something wrong?” Rick asked stiffly.

 

“I..listen I know I got us in trouble by coming out here and not paying close enough attention to what was around,” Glenn said guiltily.  

 

“You mean because you wanted to get laid?” Rick asked harshly. “How’d that work out for you? Oh, wait it didn’t, did it? Daryl and I were the ones who got to do that… at gun point…in a room full of fucking strangers!”

 

“Rick,” Daryl said softly, placing a hand on his chest. “We are going to be fine,” he reassured him as he wrapped an arm around his waist.

 

He took a deep breath and looked into Daryl’s eyes for a moment before turning back to Glenn. “We have no way of knowing what would have happened if it had been all of us out here and not just you and Maggie but next time I say we go together…”

 

“We go together,” Glenn nodded. He hoped they could forgive him for what happened.

 

They piled into the van and headed toward home. They would be cutting it close to get there before dark. Rick noticed Daryl squirming in his seat and was about to say something when Maggie pulled some ibuprofen out of her bag and handed them back with a bottle of water. Daryl took them without question then let Rick reposition him until he was cradled in his lap on his side, head resting on his shoulder. “We need to patch you up sweetheart,” Rick told him. He had several abrasions and cuts from the beating he took at the beginning of their ordeal.

 

“It can wait,” he protested. “We will be home in an hour, nothing gonna happen before then.”

 

Rick nodded not wanting to put him through any more then he’d been through and he didn’t want to let him go either. The silence was deafening making the trip seem like it was longer than it was. About twenty minutes in Rick and Daryl both fell asleep curled against each other. Michonne reached in the back of the van and got a blanket then spread it out over them. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on each man’s head before setting back.

 

The sun was setting when they pulled up to the gates of the prison and they had never been happier to see the run down building in their lives. Michonne gently woke Rick and Daryl as Glenn pulled the van up as close as he could to the prison making it easier to unload the supplies. Hershel, Carl, and Tyreese were there to help carry in their haul. When everyone got out they knew instantly that something was wrong but when they saw Daryl they all winced.

 

“I take it there was a problem?” Hershel asked in his fatherly way.

 

“Yeah, you could say that,” Rick gritted out as he gave Carl a hug.

 

“Who do I need to check out first?” he asked, looking pointedly at Daryl.

 

“I’m going to shower first,” he forced a smile. “Rick is too so pick someone else.”

 

Hershel nodded as the two men walked inside the prison trying to avoid any more questions. Making a quick stop by their cell to get clean clothes and to check on Judith they headed to the showers. Once inside Daryl undressed Rick then allowed him to do the same to him. They stepped under the spray of water and took great care in washing each other, checking for injuries and healing all they could with touches.

 

“Did I hurt you?” Rick asked for the first time, so afraid of the answer because he had no lube and it was rough.

 

“I’m fine, I promise,” Daryl rested his head on his shoulder.

 

“C..can I check to make sure I didn’t tear you?”

 

Daryl didn’t want him too, he didn’t want to be touched there right now but he knew that Rick was hurting too and wouldn’t stop worrying until he knew for sure he wasn’t torn and he’d much rather it be Rick than Hershel. He turned around and put his hands on the tile wall before looking over his shoulder at Rick and nodding.

 

“Thank you,” he whispered and knelt down checking as quickly as he could. The skin was red and swollen but there was no tear and he breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“I told you,” Daryl said, turning and helping him to his feet. “You didn’t hurt me, Rick. Hell, you didn’t even want to do what you did. Stop blaming yourself and don’t blame Glenn neither. He didn’t intend for any of this to happen and Maggie could have been hurt too.”

 

“I know,” he said shutting the water off and drying them both with a towel. “It’s just when I think of what could have happened..”

 

“It didn’t. Stop playing the ‘what ifs’ out in your head because it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are all ok now. I promise to try not to get all jumpy again ok?”

 

“I understand if you do Daryl, I just don’t want you to push me away like you did when we first started admitting we had feelings for each other. We can wait as long as you need to before we are together again, even if it’s forever but I can’t be without you anymore, I just can’t.” His voice broke and he scrubbed his hands over his face.

 

“I promise I won’t do that ever again,” he said lowering himself down to his knees in front him. “I love you and I never thought I would love anyone. I’m not letting you go that easy,” he smiled. “Just promise me that you won’t get frustrated with me and walk away. I want things to be like they were before today. I want you teasing me and holding my hand and kissing me in front of everyone.”

 

Rick’s heartfelt lighter for the first time, “I will never stop showing you I love you sweetheart and I’ll never stop telling you that you are mine.” They shared a long, loving kiss before getting dressed and heading to their cell hand and hand.

 

Hershel was waiting for them which made both men smile. He fussed over them both making sure they were not injured and treated a couple of the abrasions on Daryl before wrapping his ribs tightly. “I want you both to take it easy the next couple of days. I mean it, I will tend to the garden with Carl and we have enough food for a while so don’t make me lock you both in here because I will.”

 

Both of them laughed and promised they would rest and Hershel left them some ibuprofen in case they needed it before excusing himself and letting them get some rest.

 

 

 

 


End file.
